Lafayette is a city of about 27,729 people in Boulder County, Colorado, at 1,588 m (5,210 ft). Today the sun rises at 7:17 AM and sets at 6:15 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:38 PM – 6:32 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:21 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:16 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 21m |
Local time in America/Denver, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Lafayette
At Lafayette the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
Best photo spots near Lafayette
138 photo locations lie within 80 km of Lafayette. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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Night sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Lafayette is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Rawah Wilderness, about 115 km (72 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June. Northern lights need roughly Kp 7.5+ to appear low on the northern horizon here.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rawah Wilderness | Wilderness Area | 115 km (72 mi) | 2 |
| Gore Canyon | Canyon | 121 km (75 mi) | 2 |
| Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 122 km (76 mi) | 2 |
| Arapaho Pass | Mountain Pass | 125 km (78 mi) | 2 |
| Gore Pass | Mountain Pass | 126 km (78 mi) | 2 |
| Pawnee Buttes | Rock Formation | 132 km (82 mi) | 2 |
| Muddy Pass | Mountain Pass | 134 km (83 mi) | 2 |
| Rabbit Ears Pass | Mountain Pass | 136 km (85 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.2 | 11° |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.3 | 18° |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:35 AM | 2.3 | 21° |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:49 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:24 AM | 4.8 | 21° |
| July | 10:26 PM – 1:56 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:00 AM | 2.3 | 21° |
| September | 8:42 PM – 9:52 PM | 1.2 | 18° |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:02 PM | 0.2 | 11° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (64%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.